Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

How much weight do A-levels hold when assessing postgraduate students?

I obtained ABBB in my A-levels in 2014, with the A being in Welsh Baccalaureate. My understanding is this was considered a complete A-level at the time, meaning I should suffice the requirements of most law firms (in UCAS points equivalent). However, I’m not sure if this is still true, and if A-levels still matter to my application, should I be contacting law firms to make sure I meet their minimum requirements?

Thanks!

Same weight as an undergraduate student.

Your Welsh baccalaureate has the same UCAS points as an A in an A-level - although you may want to make this clear on an application form (48 UCAS points).

So unless the firm asks for AAB or above, you’d be eligible to apply.

 

[Lumree]

Same weight as an undergraduate student.

Your Welsh baccalaureate has the same UCAS points as an A in an A-level - although you may want to make this clear on an application form (48 UCAS points).

So unless the firm asks for AAB or above, you’d be eligible to apply.

So although I have an additional grade B at A-Level as I don’t have AAB, I should avoid firms with such requirements?

 

[Jessica Booker]

So although I have an additional grade B at A-Level as I don’t have AAB, I should firms with such requirements?

yes unfortunately so - any firm that asks for 3 grades (AAB) is only looking across 3 A-levels as a matter of fairness. They all need to be taken in the same year too typically.

 

[Lumree]

yes unfortunately so - any firm that asks for 3 grades (AAB) is only looking across 3 A-levels as a matter of fairness. They all need to be taken in the same year too typically.

That’s a shame. But thanks Jessica.

 

[Plum]

Hi guys,

This is last minute as I’ve been at work all week... if a video interview deadline says 29/12/2019 do I have to do it today or can I do it tomorrow? Please help!

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi guys,

This is last minute as I’ve been at work all week... if a video interview deadline says 29/12/2019 do I have to do it today or can I do it tomorrow? Please help!

Thanks!

You can do it tomorrow as the deadline would be 28th Dec if it was today.

 

[ZH]

Hi Jessica

Would you be able to provide advice of what I could respond to the following type of application question:

What is/are the biggest challenge/s law firms are facing?

Briefly, the firm is commercial, innovative and sector-based.

I have thought of the following answers: Advances in AI, competition from other firms, possible in-house competition, SRA liberalisation of regulation, Brexit (uncertainty), pricing pressures with increased client demands.

[Given that it is only 250 words, I would not be mentioning all of the above, probably 1-2]

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

Would you be able to provide advice of what I could respond to the following type of application question:

What is/are the biggest challenge/s law firms are facing?

Briefly, the firm is commercial, innovative and sector-based.

I have thought of the following answers: Advances in AI, competition from other firms, possible in-house competition, SRA liberalisation of regulation, Brexit (uncertainty), pricing pressures with increased client demands.

[Given that it is only 250 words, I would not be mentioning all of the above, probably 1-2]

Thanks

You’re literally asking the worst person - i’m not commercially minded at all.

However you seem to have a pretty good grasp of what I would expect the answer to be like/what it could include.

You could focus on one or two but still decide to list out the others if you wanted to.

 

[jan28]

HI Jessica,

I'm really baffled about this question in one of my application forms:

Please tell us something that not many people know about you.

What do you think they're looking for with this question? I'm not sure if there is anything I could write about!

 

[Jaysen]

HI Jessica,

I'm really baffled about this question in one of my application forms:

Please tell us something that not many people know about you.

What do you think they're looking for with this question? I'm not sure if there is anything I could write about!

I think this is Debevoise right? I see it as an opportunity for you to share something a bit more personal to give recruiters an insight into who you are. It's up to you how you want to frame it: could be anything from something about your background to a personal challenge you've overcome etc.

There's not really a right way to answer this, although I'd avoid treating it as a general extra-curricular question - I recall the form has other questions focused on that.

 

[jan28]

I think this is Debevoise right? I see it as an opportunity for you to share something a bit more personal to give recruiters an insight into who you are. It's up to you how you want to frame it: could be anything from something about your background to a personal challenge you've overcome etc.

There's not really a right way to answer this, although I'd avoid treating it as a general extra-curricular question - I recall the form has other questions focused on that.

Yes it is! I considered sharing something personal but I'm always wary of sounding too deep/cliche.

Thank you

 

[Jaysen]

Yes it is! I considered sharing something personal but I'm always weary of sounding too deep/cliche.

Thank you

I think this is a question where being personal works very well. As long as it’s personal to you, it also shouldn’t sound cliche!

 

[Jessica Booker]

HI Jessica,

I'm really baffled about this question in one of my application forms:

Please tell us something that not many people know about you.

What do you think they're looking for with this question? I'm not sure if there is anything I could write about!

I agree with Jaysen’s post above. It’s hard for me to explain what the answer might be, And I suspect if you are quite an open person then maybe difficult to pin down something appropriate. If that is the case, just pick something that contrasts against the rest of your profile/information on your application.

For instance, mine would be that I moved out of home shortly after my A-levels to live and work in a pub. Shortly after that, I moved to France and ran a kitchen in a ski chalet hotel for 6 months. None of that would be on my application form but yet shows a range of attitudes and skills a firm would be looking for.

Think about it this way, what’s the one thing you’d like to tell them that’s quite specific to you but you haven’t had the space or opportunity to explain elsewhere in your application.

All they are looking for is another string to your bow. They are not looking for something specific, just that you have any type of character/personality to you.

 

[jan28]

I think this is a question where being personal works very well. As long as it’s personal to you, it also shouldn’t sound cliche!

I agree with Jaysen’s post above. It’s hard for me to explain what the answer might be, And I suspect if you are quite an open person then maybe difficult to pin down something appropriate. If that is the case, just pick something that contrasts against the rest of your profile/information on your application.

For instance, mine would be that I moved out of home shortly after my A-levels to live and work in a pub. Shortly after that, I moved to France and ran a kitchen in a ski chalet hotel for 6 months. None of that would be on my application form but yet shows a range of attitudes and skills a firm would be looking for.

Think about it this way, what’s the one thing you’d like to tell them that’s quite specific to you but you haven’t had the space or opportunity to explain elsewhere in your application.

All they are looking for is another string to your bow. They are not looking for something specific, just that you have any type of character/personality to you.

You've been a big help and given me something to think about. Thank you

 

[Dos]

in what sense? Application/interview/cv blind interview?

cv blind interview

 

[Jessica Booker]

cv blind interview

See page 35 of this thread.

 

[Karin]

Hi, I have a question regarding the Hogan Lovells application form.

There are two work experience/voluntary work sections to fill in:
1) 'Work History' - 'Please list your paid work experience in chronological order, most recent first.' (250 words for each entry)
2) 'Open Days and Voluntary Work' - 'On this page please give details of open days, voluntary work and employer presentations relevant to your application.' (50 words for each entry, no employer/position details).

I am struggling with this as for example my vacation scheme was unpaid, so it would fall into the second group, but then I feel like it is more like work history and would be useful to give more details than 50 words? How do you suggest I should go around this?

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, I have a question regarding the Hogan Lovells application form.

There are two work experience/voluntary work sections to fill in:
1) 'Work History' - 'Please list your paid work experience in chronological order, most recent first.' (250 words for each entry)
2) 'Open Days and Voluntary Work' - 'On this page please give details of open days, voluntary work and employer presentations relevant to your application.' (50 words for each entry, no employer/position details).

I am struggling with this as for example my vacation scheme was unpaid, so it would fall into the second group, but then I feel like it is more like work history and would be useful to give more details than 50 words? How do you suggest I should go around this?

Thank you!

If you are confident you can get a reference for it, put it in your work history section.

If you are not sure you would, put it in the other section.

I suspect if you were successful in getting a role, they would use your application to get employment references from, but would only seek it out from those in the "work history" section.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

Long story short, I have a TC offer with a firm after a completing a recent vacation scheme. I have one more week to accept it. However, I called to see whether they could extend this till summer as I have some other vacation scheme offers for the spring and summer, in addition to a couple of direct TC assessment centres coming up.

Grad rec have said they will only be able to extend my time to make a decision for a month longer. Do you know why firms offer such little time to accept. I don't see why they won't let me atleast try the other schemes to get a better understanding.

My guess is that they want to get the best candidates before others firms which is why we get a short time to decide? I have graduated now and would appreciate your insight into this before I get back in touch with them.

Because they have the right to.

Most jobs give you a fairly short time to accept - they need to know so they can plan accordingly. If anything law is unique that it gives you more time to accept the offer, rather than less.

They won’t like me saying this, but there is nothing from stopping you accepting the offer and then reneging at a later date should you get another offer.

 

[Giulia]

"Excluding work experience, please detail all the events you have attended, organised which demonstrate your commitment to increasing your understanding of a career as a solicitor. (max 250)".

Dear Jessica, I plan on talking about the LawCareers.NetLive event, which was the first event I ever attended (where this firm was present) as well as two open days that I have attended, but not at this specific firm. There is so much to say that It is hard to link it necessarily to the firm. I think I need a bit of structure or subquestions to answer, if that makes sense, so I was hoping you could help?


Thank you,
Giulia